H  Dote  on  Color 


A  NOTE  ON  COLOR 


FOR 


TEACHERS  OF  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 


BY 


CAROLINE  WEST  VAN  HELDEN 


I9O2 

MILTON  BRADLEY  COMPANY 
SPRINGFIELD,  MASS. 


COPYRIGHT,  1902. 

BY  MILTON  BRADLEY  COMPANY, 

SPRINGFIELD,  MASS. 


CONTENTS. 


INTRODUCTION        -                         ...  9 

DEVELOP  A  MENTAL  IMAGE  OF  COLOR  -        -  13 

EXERCISES  IN  CONNECTION  WITH  SCALE  i.   -  19 

STANDARD  COLORS-SCALE  i.     Plate  i.  op.  -  20 

SCALE  OF  HUES-SCALE  2       -    Plate  i.  op.   -  20 

TONE  SCALES                             -     Plate  2.  op.    -  22 
EXERCISES  IN  CONNECTION  WITH  THE 

TONE  SCALES                                          -  22 

SCALE  OF  HUES     -                 -     Plate  3.  op.    -  24 

HARMONY  OF  COLORS    -        -     Plate  4.  op.    -  26 


2O65843 


COLOR  SCALING      -  -  a6 

LUMINOSITY  OF  SKY                -  Plate  5.  op.   -  28 

A  GOLDEN  SUNSET                 -  Plate  6.  op.    -  30 

AN  ORANGE    -                         -  Plate  7.  op.    -  32 

A  CUCUMBER                             -  Plate  8.  op.    -  34 

MASS  DRAWING  WITH  BRUSH  -                  -  36 

TREE-TRUNK  AND  BRANCHES  Plate  9.  op.    -  38 

SPOT  DESIGNS                          -  Plate  10.  op.  -  42 

PRACTICAL  SUGGESTIONS  -                 -44 

FLOWER  STUDY  IN  TWO  TONES  Plate  ir.  op.  -  44 

LEAFLESS  TREES    -       -       -  Plate  12.  op.  -  46 


To  all  teachers  who,  while  seeking  out  color 
ways,  are  teaching  their  pupils  to  look  up  at  the 
pale  tints  of  the  sky,  down  at  the  dark  shades  of 
earth  and  with  level  glance  at  the  gorgeous  color 
of  leaf  and  flower  and  fruit. 


INTRODUCTION. 


When  any  subject  like  color  is  placed  in  the 
public  schools,  methods  of  extreme  simplicity  and 
breadth  are  necessary,  because  classes  in  elemen- 
tary schools  are  large  and  also  because  many 
teachers  will  doubtless  find  the  subject  an  un- 
familiar one. 

It  is  impossible  to  form  a  clear  conception  of 
what  we  seek  to  express  in  any  subject  without 
some  definite  standard  to  which  we  may  refer  the 
difficulties  and  doubts  of  the  subject.  In  any 
branch  of  science  the  relations  of  objects  are  its 
most  important  phase.  So  in  this  science  we 
must  consider  the  relations  of  colors,  and  as  colors 


10  INTRODUCTION. 


more  strongly  react  upon  each  other  than  other 
mediums,  the  study  of  their  mutual  effects  and 
relations  becomes  imperative. 

Few  of  the  most  advanced  teachers  have 
studied  the  logical  and  scientific  development  of 
the  color  sense  in  either  themselves  or  the  chil- 
dren under  their  care,  yet  every  teacher  recog- 
nises the  necessity  of  having  some  definite  basic 
principles  which  can  be  used  with  facility,  as  the 
principles  of  arithmetic  or  of  music  are  applied 
in  those  studies. 

The  treatment  of  color  by  logical  methods 
will  in  nearly  all  cases  secure  harmonious  and 
pleasing  results.  In  fact  the  introduction  of 
color  study  in  our  schools  is  one  very  important 
door  opened  to  the  conscious  study  of  beauty  and 
its  harmonious  development.  When  we  reflect 


INTRODUCTION.  11 


that  one  chief  thing  which  makes  life  worth  liv- 
ing is  the  revelation  of  truth  and  beauty  which 
comes  to  us,  we  begin  to  realize  the  influence 
which  this  subject  is  destined  to  have  upon  our 
children.  For  in  teaching  them  to  look  for 
beauty,  and  to  make  it  in  their  daily  surround- 
ings we  are  directly  adding  to  the  sum  of  their 
happiness,  and  perhaps  even  increasing  their  love 
of  home  and  country. 

C.  W.  VAN  HELDEN. 

Philadelphia. 


J\  note  on  Color. 


DEVELOP  A  MENTAL  IMAGE  OF  COLOR. 


Color  in  the  elementary  schools  has  proved  a 
subject  of  intense  interest  to  both  teacher  and 
pupil.  The  faithful  teacher,  seeing  the  influence 
and  charm  which  attach  to  the  handling  of  colors 
by  her  pupils,  will  recognize  therein  one  of  the 
most  powerful  nature  forces  which  she  is  trying 
to  reach  and  control.  To  such  a  teacher  the 
question  is  not,  How  can  I  shirk  this  duty?  but, 
How  can  I  prepare  myself  to  do  it  ?  A  few  sug- 
gestions in  response  to  such  a  query  are  here 
given. 

For   color  studies,   materials   are   always  at 


14  A  NOTE  OX  COLOR. 

hand.  The  daily  changing  aspects  of  sky,  earth 
and  water  present  a  shifting  panorama  of  color 
for  daily  observation  and  expression.  The  na- 
ture products,  birds  and  fowls,  fishes  and  beasts 
of  the  field,  our  human  kind,  all  plants  and  flowers 
and  trees,  everything  of  vegetable  life,  these  fur- 
nish an  inexhaustible  resource  for  study  ;  and  for 
encouragement  and  stimulus  we  have  all  places 
where  art  has  been  and  where  art  seeks  to  enter, 
all  manufacture  and  design  ;  so  that  when  once  we 
begin  the  study  of  color  its  possibilities  stretch 
endlessly  before  us,  and  we  are  amazed  at  the  ex- 
tent of  its  uplifting  forces. 

Since  these  materials  for  study  are  always 
around  us,  the  eye  must  be  opened  to  see,  the 
mind  awakened  to  note,  the  hand  made  able  to 
express;  these  three  powers  must  be  aroused, 


DEVELOP  A   MENTAL   IMAGE  OF  COLOR.        15 

called  into  action  and  trained  to  work  in  har- 
mony. How  shall  we  open  the  eyes  to  see  color? 
Perhaps  the  mind's  action  mnst  precede.  If  the 
eye  sees  and  consciously  recognizes  a  color  and 
a  color  relation,  that  presupposes  the  action  of 
the  mind.  Let  us  question  the  mind  through 
the  eye,  and  see  what  results  we  shall  obtain. 
In  this  white  page  does  any  color  or  tint  of  color 
appear?  The  cover  of  this  book  will  suggest  an 
approach  to  color  and  between  this  and  the  dark 
of  the  type  quite  a  change  will  be  seen.  The 
white  page  and  the  gray  cover  and  the  type  will 
assume  another  appearance  if  turned  away  from 
the  light.  All  the  objects  about  us  have  some 
color  and  show  changes  in  color  varying  with  the 
light  and  shade  cast  upon  them. 

If  we  try  to  single  out  those  objects  which 


16  A  NOTE  ON  COLOR. 

have  a  tone  or  suggestion  of  red  we  shall  find 
onrselves  comparing  these  object  colors  with  an 
image  of  red  which  exists  in  the  mind.  And 
probably  this  mental  image  of  red  will  differ  in 
different  persons.  So  with  yellow  and  green  and 
other  colors.  We  ought  then  to  have  an  ulti- 
mate standard  of  color  attainable  by  all  and 
generally  corresponding  so  that  in  comparing 
colors  we  shall  be  able  to  express  their  differ- 
ences. 

In  the  hues  of  the  spectrum  we  have  such  a 
standard  and  our  first  business  must  be  to  form 
a  mental  image  of  the  spectrum  and  the  relations 
of  the  colors  there  existing.  For  instance,  as 
soon  as  the  image  of  standard  red  is  formed  in 
the  mind  it  will  be  remarked  that,  while  we  may 
be  surrounded  by  a  multitude 'of  red  or  reddish 


DEVELOP  A  MENTAL  IMAGE  OF  COLOR.        17 

objects,  few  of  them  are  equal  or  at  all  similar  to 
the  intensity  and  purity  of  the  standard. 

Thus  the  mind  begins  the  work  of  discrim- 
ination, continually  comparing  colors  and  their 
modifications,  until  a  more  or  less  definite  image 
of  color  is  formed. 

From  the  first  the  aim  of  the  teacher  must  be 
the  formation  and  development  of  this  mental 
image  of  color,  which  must  include  some  knowl- 
edge of  standard  colors,  some  knowledge  of  the 
relation  of  colors,  and  some  knowledge  of  the 
effect  of  light  and  shade  on  color.  The  mental 
image  of  color  must  take  the  ph;ce  of  the  tuning 
fork  in  music,  for,  in  tones  of  color,  the  scale  of 
harmony  has  laws  as  imperative  as  the  laws 
which  govern  harmonious  sounds.  Such  an  image 
must  be  formed  with  care,  continually  renewed 


18  A  NOTE  ON  COLOR. 


and  referred  to  in  daily  practice.  It  thus  becomes 
a  safeguard  against  glaring  and  discordant  com- 
binations. Experience  has  proved  this  so  conclu- 
sively that  it  does  not  seem  possible  to  overrate 
its  importance.  The  knowledge  then  of  the 
teacher  is  based  on  the  principles  of  color  and 
color  relations,  and  help  for  her  must  come,  not 
by  solving  all  her  problems  but  in  showing  her  how 
to  apply  the  principles  of  harmonious  combina- 
tions. 

Our  effort  then  will  be,  first,  to  know  color 
so  as  to  recognize  its  chief  distinctions,  and 
second,  to  find  its  true  harmonious  relations.  If 
we  can  accomplish  this,  so  as  easily  to  find  related 
hues  and  tones,  we  shall  take  away  one  of  the 
most  fruitful  sources  of  irritation  and  annoyance, 
and  substitute  a  rest  and  charm  of  spirit  which 


DEVELOP  A  MENTAL  IMAGE  OF  COLOR.        19 

our  teachers  generally  need.  With  the  best  will 
in  the  world  it  is  impossible  for  teachers  to  pre- 
serve balance  of  temper  and  harmony  of  tone 
when  colors  scream  discords  from  the  wall. 

Our  ideas  of  the  relation  of  color  are  gathered, 
first,  from  color  combinations  which  contain  the 
major  hues,  like  the  rainbow,  soap  bubbles,  etc. 
These  colors  are  of  such  intensity  and  purity  that 
we  call  them  standard  colors,  and  from  them  we 
make  all  combinations  of  color.  Placed  in  any 
other  order  they  would  not  appear  to  have  any 
relation  to  each  other,  they  would  be  discordant, 
but  in  the  order  followed  in  the  plate  (Scale  i) 
they  form  a  scale  of  related  colors  not  discordant. 

EXERCISES  IN  CONNECTION  WITH  SCALE  I. 

Arrange  the  six  standard  colors  in  proper 
order  making  Scale  i.  Vary  shapes,  using  ob- 


20  A  NOTE  ON  COLOR. 

longs,  triangles  or  semicircles  overlapping. 

Make  group  of  reds,  and  select  as  standard 
a  red  free  from  violet  or  orange.  . 

Make  a  study  of  blues,  try  to  find  standard 
blue  with  no  trace  of  green  or  violet. 

Collect  yellow  objects,  discover  which  is  the 
clearest  yellow  without  orange  or  green  in  it. 


If  we  separate  these  six  colors  of  Scale  i  by 
pushing  between  each  pair  two  intermediate  hues 
made  by  blending  or  pulling  one  color  into  the 
next,  we  shall  create  a  scale  of  hues,  (Scale  2), 
which,  being  more  closely  related,  will  harmonize 
to  a  greater  extent. 

Form  Scale  2  by  leaving  two  spaces  between 
each  two  of  the  standard  colors  and  fill  these 
spaces  with  modified  hues.  After  red.  orange  red. 


Co 


Co 


DEVELOP  A  MENTAL  IMAGE  OF  COLOR.         21 

then  red  orange;  after  orange,  yellow  orange,  then 
orange  yellow^  etc. 

Thus  in  this  scale  the  red  color  has  been 
pulled  a  little  into  the  orange,  giving  an  orange 
red  and  the  orauge  color  has  been  pulled  back  to- 
ward the  red,  giving  a  red  orange.  In  the  same 
way  the  orange  pulled  out  into  the  yellow  becomes 
yellow  orange  and  the  yellow  pulled  into  the 
orange  becomes  orange  yellow. 

The  different  hues  thus  formed  constitute  a 
scale  of  harmonious  relation,  a  scale  of  hues,  as 
they  all  differ  in  hue,  which  is  one  of  the  most 
important  characteristics  of  color. 

By  hue  we  designate  difference  in  color  with- 
out regard  to  light  or  dark,  a  condition  which  is 
brought  about  by  a  variation  in  what  the  scientists 
call  the  wave  length  of  the  light  rays. 


22  A  NOTE  OX  COLOR. 

If  we  take  one  of  these  hues  as  red  and  add 
white  by  laying  a  pale  wash  of  red  on  white  paper, 
we  shall  have  a  paler  red,  called  a  tint  of  red  ;  a 
little  black  added  to  the  red  hue  will  produce  a 
darker  red,  called  a  shade  of  red.  Thus,  with  the 
original  hue  we  shall  have  a  scale  of  red  showing 
three  different  tones  passing  from  light  to  dark. 

EXERCISES  IN  CONNECTION  WITH  THE  TONE  SCALES. 
Try  the  effect  of  white  on  colors  by  making 

pale  washes  on  white  paper,  thus  producing  tints. 

Try  the  effect  of  bladk  on  different  colors  by 
adding  a  little  black  to  a  strong  pure  tone  of 
color. 

Notice  the  effect  of  a  little  black  on  a  pale 
tone  of  color. 

Make  tone  scales  of  different  hues,  showing  a 
gradation  from  pale  tints  to  deep  shades. 


BT 

^ 


Cfc 

Co 


DEVELOP  A  MENTAL  IMAGE  OF  COLOR.         23 

Every  object  contains  its  own  scale  of  tones, 
being  paler  on  the  light  side,  darker  on  the 
shaded  side. 

Make  tone  scales  showing  the  color  of  a 
green  apple,  of  a  tomato,  and  a  lemon. 


Tones  mixed  with  white  or  black  lack  purity. 
This  is  another  important  characteristic  of  color. 
A  pure  tone  of  color  has  neither  black  nor  white 
in  its  composition.  It  is  a  pure  hue.  White 
added  to  various  hues  of  the  scale  will  affect  them 
quite  differently.  In  practice,  instead  of  white,  it 
it  will  be  just  as  well  to  use  pale  washes  of  color 
on  white  paper.  Black,  also,  modifies  color  greatly, 
seeming  to  change  the  hue  more  than  would  be  at 
first  supposed.  Notice  these  things  in  the  printed 
scale  and  experiment  with  colors  for  proof.  Using 


24  A  NOTE  OX  COLOR. 

the  six  standard  colors,  inaKe  different  scales  of 
hues,  and  scales  of  tones  by  adding  black  and 
white  to  these  hues.  A  color  scale  combining  the 
six  standard  colors  and  intermediate  hues,  each 
running  up  toward  white,  forming  tints,  and  down 
toward  black,  forming  shades,  can  easily  be  made 
and  will  form  a  keyboard  of  great  aid  in  studying 
harmonious  combinations.  (See  Scale  of  Hues.) 

Each  of  these  hues  taken  with  its  paler  and 
darker  tones  forms  a  tone  scale  of  that  hue;  a.  a., 
b.  b.,  c.  c.  are  tone  scales  of  violet  red,  red  and 
orange  red. 

The  teacher  should  have  sufficient  knowledge 
to  develop  such  a  scale  as  this,  but  pupils  should 
be  asked  to  make  a  limited  scale  at  first.  They 
should  be  taught  by  constantly  varying  exercises, 
conducted  in  a  pleasing  fashion,  to  see  and  express 


SCALE  OF  HUES* 

KEYBOARD  FOR  DEVELOPING  COLOR  HARMONIES. 

Tint  2.    Tint  i.  Shade  I.  Shade  2. 


Violet  Red.   a 


Red  Violet. 


J.  Group  of  Yellows. 


Group  of  Greens. 


j,  Group  of  Blues. 


Group  of  Violets. 


Plate,  3 


DEVELOP  A  MENTAL  IMAftE  OF  COLOR.          25 

varying  hues  and  tones  of  color.  Teaching  the 
scale  of  color  with  the  persistence  used  in  teaching 
the  scale  of  music>  will  develop  keenness  of  sight 
in  both  hue  and  tone.  If  the  mind  of  the  child  is 
impressed  with  the  true  order  or  relation  of  color, 
he  will  instinctively  place  colors  in  that  order  and 
seek  for  harmony  in  their  adjustment.  (  PLATE 
IV.  )  This  is  no  more  difficult  than  teaching 
arithmetic,  and  it  is  quite  as  necessary  in  develop- 
ing the  subject  as  teaching  the  order  of  numbers 
and  their  operations. 


COLOR  SCALING. 


We  have  found  two  things  to  be  necessary, 
first,  a  color  standard  to  which  we  may  refer  doubt- 
ful colors  and  by  means  of  which  we  may  express 
dictinctions  and  variations  of  color;  second,  the  har- 
monious relations  of  these  standard  colors  and 
their  combination  in  a  scale  to  furnish  us  with  a 
keyboard  of  color  harmony. 

The  next  step  must  be  that  of  actually  find- 
ing the  color  of  our  surroundings.  If  we  are  to 
attain  to  any  broad  development  of  the  color  sense, 
it  must  be  through  its  constant  exercise  in  apply- 
ing the  color-thought  to  all  objects  in  the  range 
of  our  vision.  When  close  connection  has  been 


I 

•s 


COLOR  SCALING.  27 

established  between  this  color-thought  and  the 
mental  image  of  the  scale,  the  color  of  an  object 
will  seem  at  once  to  take  its  right  place  in 
the  scale. 

When  this  can  be  done,  it  is  as  if  the  mind 
is  illumined,  colors  and  their  harmonic  relations 
are  then  more  quickly  observed  and  appreciated 
and  therefore  more  easily  expressed.  For  in- 
stance, we  are  more  or  less  surrounded  by  the  sky, 
and  most  of  us  have  glimpses  of  it  during  the  day, 
but  until  the  systematic  study  of  its  color  is  be- 
gun few  find  themselves  able  to  express  any  of  its 
relations  to  the  earth.  Thoughtful  attempts  to 
express  its  color  will  bring  to  the  mind  a  much 
keener  appreciation  of  its  beauties. 

In  looking  at  the  sky  we  observe  that  it  pos- 
sesses an  intense  luminosity  which  is  lacking  in 


28  A  NOTE  ON  COLOR. 

the  colors  of  our  keyboard.  This  is  the  dominant 
and  characteristic  quality  of  the  sky.  ,  It  is  as  if 
light  were  shining  through  all  its  hues  and  tones. 

The  appearance  of  the  earth  tones  in  relation 
to  those  of  the  sky,  is  greatly  darker.  No  matter 
how  light  or  bright  the  earth  color?  may  be,  they 
are  darker  than  those  of  the  sky  which  reflects 
its  light  upon  them.  Therefore,  in  expressing 
the  colors  of  the  earth  in  relation  to  the  sky,  their 
comparative  darkness  must  be  considered  and  ex- 
pressed. (  PLATE  v.  )  As  we  have  not  light  to 
paint  with,  this  will  often  force  us  into  the  trans- 
position of  the  scale  to  a  much  lower  key.  In 
general  the  solving  of  many  problems  will  be 
found  in  this  lowering  of  earth  tones  so  as  to  se- 
cure luminosity  of  sky. 

Looking   thus    at  the     sky   and   noting    the 


' 


COLOR  SCALING.  29 

light  quality  of  all  its  tones,  as  of  light  shining 
through  opaque  glass,  we  find  in  it  all  the  hues, 
and  all  the  paler  tones  of  our  keyboard  with  an  in- 
finite number  of  intermediate  hues,  softly  blend- 
ing. And  we  find  that  the  secret  of  much  of  its 
loveliness  is  in  the  same  harmonic  relation  as  that 
of  the  spectrum  and  our  keyboard.  Each  sunrise 
and  sunset  shows  blue  changing  into  violet,  violet 
advancing  into  red,  passing  through  orange  and 
yellow  into  green  and  back  into  blue.  Even  the 
gorgeous  yellow  sunsets  glow  upward  through 
faint  orange  and  red  into  the  changing  violet 
which  leads  to  the  blue  beyond.  (  PLATE  vi.  ) 

The  earth  too,  which  lies  about  us  often  un- 
noted and  unstudied,  its  colors  pitched  in  a  lower 
key,  finds  a  changing  pathway  in  the  same  rela- 
tive scale.  Far  off  on  the  horizon  it  meets  the 


30  A  NOTE  ON  COLOR. 


lower  sky  with  a  soft  violet  tint,  adding  soft  blue 
and  grayer  greeii  which,  nearer,  show  more  of  yel- 
low and  red  brown  at  our  feet,  so  that  every  green 
field  and  meadow  spreads  out  the  scale  with  an 
infinite  gradation. 

The  varying  color  of  each  green  tree  gives 
a  living  tone  scale  of  its  own  prevailing  hue 
which  later  changes  in  ever  increasing  bril. 
liancy.  When  leaves  have  fallen  and  frost  has 
whitened  all  the  color,  the  fields  and  woods  form 
an  exquisite  harmony  of  broken  orange  against 
the  gray  violet  blues  and  reds  of  distant  leaf- 
less trees. 

Even  city  streets  with  vanishing  lines  show 
soft  fading  violet  tones  against  the  sky.  We 
never  realize  how  soft  and  beautiful  are  these 
tones  until  we  see  them  as  background  against 


COLOR  SCALING.  31 

the  jutting  angle  of  a  nearer  building. 

Coming  down  to  near  objects  each  will  be 
found  to  possess  a  tone  scale  of  its  own,  vary- 
ing with  the  light  and  dark  which  it  receives. 
Compared  with  the  color  scale,  few  objects  will 
show  the  great  brilliancy  of  pure  standard  color. 
In  looking  at  an  object  to  see  where  its 
color  belongs  in  the  scale,  look  first  for  the 
most  brilliant  hue  of  its  general  surface.  Note 
how  this  hue  varies,  becoming  paler  on  the 
light  side,  darker  in  the  shade;  decide  where 
the  hue  would  be  found  in  the  scale,  then 
trace  it  up  in  the  line  of  tints,  down  in  the 
line  of  shades.  (  PLATE  vn.  ) 

Do  not  copy  the  plate,  but  arrange  with 
a  brush  and  color  a  tone  scale  of  orange,  then 
try  to  express  an  orange  so  as  to  give  the  effect 


32  A  NOTE  ON  COLOR. 

of  light  and  shade  and  roundness.  Note  the 
extreme  darkness  of  the  point  of  contact  in 
shadow  and  the  rich  warmth  of  shade  and 
shadow. 

For  another  exercise,  cut  an  orange  in 
halves  and  scale  the  color  seen  before  trying 
to  paint. 

By  degrees,  this  analysis  of  the  color  of  ob- 
jects will  give  power  in  determining  color  tones. 

The  study  of  objects,  comparing  with  the 
scale,  should  always  precede  painting,  that  the 
child  may  have  in  mind  a  clear  idea  or  image 
of  the  color  he  will  attempt  to  produce.  The 
whole  class  should  take  part  in  this  analysis, 
telling  where  in  the  scale  the  color  of  the  ob- 
ject belongs. 

Fruit,    flowers,    leaves    and     some     textiles 


COLOR  SCALING.  33 

will  afford  variety  and  interest.  The  child's 
knowledge  of  color  built  up  on  a  logical  found- 
ation will  aid  greatly  in  expressing  the  colors 
seen.  Gradually  the  teacher  will  find  that 
this  close  and  constant  study  of  the  scale  in 
comparison  with  objects  will  clear  the  difficulties 
in  her  own  mind,  and  put  her  in  possession  of  that 
strong  mental  image  which  she  is  laboring  to 
create  in  her  pupils. 

Thus  this  color  thought  must  enter  into 
daily  life,  finding  exercise  and  development  in 
all  surroundings.  What  it  can  do  to  our  great 
uplifting  I  will  quote  from  a  master  pen  whose 
"  Nature  for  its  Own  Sake  "  is  next  to  the 
inspiiation  of  the  dawn  itself.  (  This  book  by 
Prof.  Van  Dyke  should  be  like  precious  gold  to 
every  teacher.  ) 


34  A  NOTE  ON  COLOR. 

''I  have  seen  ordinary  marsh  flags  with  a  low 
summer  sun  behind  them,  when  every  blade  looked 
as  transparent  as  cathedral  glass,  and  every  leaf- 
edge  was  showing  the  colors  of  the  spectrum. 
And  again  under  the  morning  sun,  with  the 
wind  blowing  over  them,  I  have  seen  them 
glitter  and  throw  light  from  their  polished  sur- 
faces like  the  bayonets  of  a  regiment  on  parade. 
And  still  again  in  midwinter,  I  have  seen  these 
same  commonplace  flags  standing  yellow  as 
gold  above  the  snows,  with  every  stem  casting 
a  bright  blue  shadow,  and  the  whole  scene  of 
marsh,  sky  and  snow  showing  a  perfect  color- 
harmony  in  yellow,  blue  and  white." 

Even  in  so  green  an  object  as  the  cucum- 
ber we  find  no  pure  spectral  green. (  PLATE  vin.  ) 
The  light  tones  are  modified  by  other  hues,  the 


COLOR  SCALING.  35 


shades  are  changed  by  darkening,  other  col- 
ors are  reflected  in  the  surface  and  background, 
so  that  only  broken  greens  exist,  and  they 
are  much  more  beautiful  than  a  flat  tone  of 
pure  color  would  be. 

Try  to  scale  the  colors  seen  in.  a  green  leaf, 
or  a  green  apple,  putting  notes  or  dabs  of  color 
side  by  side  as  in  the  plate,  making  a  scale  of 
the  hues  seen  in  the  leaf,  or  of  the  tones  seen  in 
the  apple.  Notice  that  the  effect  of  shade  on 
the  dark  side  of  the  apple  must  be  produced  by 
the  addition  of  black,  not  intensifying  the 
green,  but  darkening  it. 


Mass  drawing  is  expressing  the  whole  of  an 
object  or  group>  excluding  details.  Pedagogi- 
cally  it  should  precede  line  drawing.  First, 
because  the  child  sees  mass,  not  outline.  Sec- 
ond, because  mass,  not  outline,  is  the  import- 
ant fact.  It  is  the  mass  of  brilliant  color  in 
an  orange  or  apple  which  makes  it  attractive 
to  the  child,  and  it  is  that  which  he  longs 
to  express.  To  require  the  child  to  express  a 
bright  colored  object  by  a  black  or  gray  out- 
line is  to  disappoint  and  defraud  him,  finally 
to  destroy  his  confidence  in  the  teacher.  With 
the  color  should  be  given  a  facile  medium. 


MASS  DRAWING  WITH  BRUSH.  37 

Why  should  we  give  the  little  children  always 
the  hardest  and  crudest  medium?  The  brush 
is  the  simplest  and  most  educational  medium 
because  it  lends  itself  most  naturally  to  the 
movement  of  the  hand.  It  is  thus  the  most 
facile  means  of  expressing  thought  and  its 
results  are  clean  and  attractive. 

"  I  cannot  learn  color. "  "  I  never  could 
do  anything  with  a  brush."  These  expressions 
and  the  thoughts  they  typify  belong  to  the 
past,  they  are  effete.  For  the  sake  of  our 
children  and  their  progressive  needs,  the  brush 
and  color  must  be  taught  and  used  by  all 
advancing  teachers.  With  a  thought  of  neces- 
sity and  the  will  behind  it,  brush  expression  is 
available  for  all,  but  it  must  be  undertaken 
without  the  hampering  fear-thought. 


38  A  NOTE  ON  COLOR. 

A  brush  resembles  a  horse;  to  get  any 
good  service  out  of  it,  you  must  be  its  master. 
If  you  allow  fear  to  get  the  better  of  you,  the 
instrument  will  be  useless  in  your  hand.  If 
you  determine  you  will  no  longer  postpone  your 
attempt,  get  a  soft  brush,  Chinese  or  Japa- 
nese is  best,  dip  in  water,  then  in  any  color 
(  ink  will  do  ),  try  to  imitate  blades  of  grass, 
simple  leaves  held  in  the  hand,  a  spray  of 
larch  or  pine,  a  leafless  tree  trunk  and  branch, 
giving,  not  the  outline  alone,  but  the  whole 
mass  with  as  few  strokes  of  the  brush  as  may 
be.  (  PLATE  ix.  )  Practice  drawing  all  sorts 
of  things  in  mass,  and  to  get  facility  with  the 
brush,  try  with  pale  ink,  a  brush  full  in  a 
little  water,  to  lay  a  flat  wash,  holding  the 
paper  slightly  tipped  so  that  the  liquid  will  flow 


MASS  WITH  DRAWNIG  BRUSH. 


toward   the  lower    part,    where   superfluous  color 
can  be    blotted   out    with    soft  paper  or   rag. 

The  employment  of  one  color  in  different 
tones  is  adapted  to  the  representation  of  grasses 
( green  or  brown, )  some  leaves  and  seed  ves- 
sels, even  a  few  fruits  and  vegetables,  the 
trunk  and  branches  of  leafless  trees  and  simple 
landscape  effects.  Painting  in  one  color  vary- 
ing by  light  and  dark  tones  makes  what  is 
called  a  monochrome.  If  the  tones  are  care- 
fully arranged,  balancing  light  and  dark  agree- 
ably, the  resulting  work  will  be  a  dominant 
harmony.  Very  beautiful  effects  are  thus  made 
by  using  one  color  in  varying  tints  and  shades. 
These  illustrate  the  beauty  and  effect  of  con- 
trast; each  tone  helps  the  other.  This  is  the 
principle  of  helpful  contrast. 


40  A  NOTE  ON  COLOR. 

It  will  be  recognized  by  the  teacher  that  it 
is  necessary,  in  order  to  produce  the  required 
facility  in  the  handling  and  analysis  of  color 
tones,  for  the  children  to  have  some  system- 
atic work  apart  from  the  objects  which  require 
relief,  light  and  shade,  and  other  elements 
which  complicate  the  color  treatment.  In  other 
words,  some  simple  exercises  will  be  necessary 
with  most  children,  by  which  the  color  sense 
in  its  harmonious  relations  may  be  developed. 
For  this,  the  work  of  the  brush  is  admirable 
adapted,  and  in  fact  iu  most  of  the  states  in  which 
the  color  work  has  been  successfully  attempted, 
brush  work  nas  taken  the  lead.  For  this  the 
Japanese  brush  is  commended  because  its  flexi- 
ble character  gives  facility  to  the  work.  Start- 
ing with  the  simple  use  of  the  brush,  and 


MASS  DRAWING   WITH  BRUSH  41 

one  or  two  tones  of  black,  ink  if  necessary, 
much  can  be  done  toward  developing  the  ideas 
of  balance,  contrast  and  proportion.  Of  two 
washes  of  ink,  a  greater  harmony  will  be  ob- 
tained by  considerable  difference  in  the  value 
or  intensity  of  the  tone.  To  obtain  balance, 
a  larger  extent  of  the  pale  tone  will  contrast 
with  the  smaller  and  darker  element.  These 
studies  can  be  carried  on  with  spot  design  for 
unit  or  repeat  or  surface  covering,  and  the 
children  gradually  trained  to  see  that  harmony 
is  secured  as  much  by  the  relative  quantity 
of  tones  in  a  composition  as  in  the  selection 
of  the  tone.  (  PLATE  x.  )  An  object  drawn 
with  a  brush  may  be  beautiful  or  not,  accord- 
ing  as  the  relative  quantity  of  dark  is  balanced 
by  the  mass  of  half  tone  and  light.  One  of 


42  A  NOTE  ON  COLOR. 

the  most  important  principles  of  harmony  is 
that  of  helpful  contrast.  We  can  see  that  in 
the  scale  by  the  effect  of  one  hue  with  another, 
so  in  this  first  work  with  simple  tones  of 
black  or  of  ink,  value  is  given  to  the  low  flat 
tone,  by  the  addition  of  a  stronger  and  smaller 
element  of  dark.  A  simple  flat  wash  will 
seem  to  contain  no  element  of  beauty  until 
contrasted  with  a  smaller  and  darker  part.  All 
these  washes  of  color  should  be  put  on  with 
decision.  The  child  must  know  exactly  what 
he  is  to  do  before  he  does  it.  There  must  be 
no  uncertainty,  no  muddling.  With  the  modern 
method  of  brush-work,  there  must  be  no  little, 
finicky  work.  The  mind  must  not  even  be  on 
the  brush.  The  whole  purpose  must  be  the 
expression  of  that  image  which  is  in  the  mind 


MASS  DRAWING  WITH  BRUSH.  43 

of  the  child.  It  may  appear  that  I  am  laying 
special  stress  on  this  idea  of  the  mental  image, 
but  I  have  seen  so  much  miserable  and  halting 
work  resulting  from  vague  conception  of  what 
is  to  be  done,  that  I  feel  obliged  to  emphasize 
this  point  in  speaking  to  teachers. 

Ability  to  express  color  must  come  through 
two  channels;  the  eye  must  be  saturated  with 
the  color,  so  that  the  mind  is  charged,  or  fill- 
ed with  the  idea  to  be  expressed,  and  the  hand 
must  continually  execute  in  color  mediums,  for, 
just  as  in  language,  facility  implies  use,  so  the 
ability  to  think  in  color  terms  implies  effort  to 
express  in  color  medium. 

The  motif  for  this  work  must  be  recognized 
by  the  teacher,  not  that  pupils  shall  be  able  to 
execute  pretty  little  pieces,  but  that  they  may 


44  A  NOTE  ON  COLOR. 

learn  to  express  graphically  all  the  changing 
nature  about  them.  Therefore  the  main  effort 
of  the  teacher  should  be  directed,  not  to  the  ex- 
ecution, but  to  the  expression  of  thought.  Where 
the  effort  is  placed  on  execution,  the  drawings  are 
conscious  and  stilted,  the  result  dull  and  unin- 
teresting. If  the  main  effort  of  the  teacher  is 
to  hold  hard  in  expressing  the  thought  which 
nature  study  has  awakened,  drawings  may  lack 
the  "show"  quality,  but  will  contain  (  what  is 
vastly  more  important  )  life,  interest  and  grad- 
ually advancing  power  of  expression. 
PRACTCIAL  SUGGESTIONS. 

Form  a  hue  scale  of  the  colors  of  a  mul- 
lein plant,  leaf,  flower  and  stalk.  Will  these  hues 
be  found  in  light  or  dark  tones? 

Find   a  leaf  which   has   several   colors,    and 


Plate.  Jl 


PRACTICAL  SUGGESTIONS  45 

one  which  shows  different  tones  of  the  same  color. 
Find  a  leaf  whose  sides  differ  in  color. 

How  about  the  grape,  button  wood  and  willow? 

Scale  the    color  in  a   stalk    of   celery. 

What  colors  have  you  seen  in  the  stalks 
of  rose  and  blackberry  bushes  ? 

Make  leaf  and  flower  studies  in  two  tones 
of  one  color  on  gray  paper.  (  PLATE  XL  )  A 
small  amount  of  dark  color  will  harmonize  with 
or  balance  a  large  amount  of  pale  tone. 

In  using  gray  or  colored  papers  for  brush 
work  the  tint  of  the  paper  should  be  made  to 
go  as  far  as  possible  and  the  darker  tone  of 
color  used  mainly  for  accent.  The  cartridge 
papers  in  dull  gray  green,  red  gray  and  brown 
gold  may  be  effectively  used  with  red  and  brown 
tones  for  all  sorts  of  tree  studies,  foliage,  trunk 


46  A  xVOl'E  ON  COLOR. 

and  branches,  also  for  animal  and  pose  drawing. 
Make  a  tone  scale  of  your  favorite  color,  and 
show  how  it  is  related  to  other  hues. 

Are   ripe  oranges    always    the   same   color? 

Where  in  the  scale  would  you  expect  to  find 
the  color  of  a  potato?  How  does  the  color  of  a 
pepper  or  a  tomato  differ  from  standard  green? 

What  are  the  color  changes  in  strawberry 
leaves?  Scale  the  colors  in  a  brilliant  leaf  and 
then  show  the  brown  tcnes  of  the  same  .leaf  when 
faded  and  dry*  Draw  all  sorts  of  pods,  seed 
vessels  and  dry  flower  stalks,  using  two  tones  of 
brown. 

Some  of  these  studies  can  be  made  as  de- 
signs for  a  door  panel  or  window  casing,  and 
should  then  be  drawn  boldly  with  a  large  brush, 
lining  in  with  a  darker  tone  to  give  decorative 


PhrM  / 


PRACTICAL  SUGGESTIONS.  47 

effect.  Mulleiu  stalks,  cat-tails,  tall  grasses  and 
reeds  are  adapted  to  this  work.  Paint  in  broad 
flat  washes,  leaving  the  tints  pure  and  even. 

Paint  from  the  root  and  leaves  of  a  grow- 
ing beet  and  notice  the  complementary  color. 
In  painting  vegetables  and  fruit  an  effect  of 
light  and  shade  caii  be  obtained  by  softly  dab- 
bing out  the  color  qn  the  light  side,  while  still 
wet,  and  adding  a  little  dark  to  the  shade  side, 
allowing  the  color  to  settle  or  puddle  while  drying. 

Draw  leafless  trees  with  the  brush,  noticing 
how  the  branches  widen  and  thicken  where 
they  join  the  trunk.  (  PLATE  xn.  )  Pressing 
more  strongly  on  the  brush  will  often  give  this 
effect.  Express  as  much  as  possible  with  a  single 
stroke.  Develop  the  mental  image  of  trees  by  con- 
stantly endeavoring  to  express  with  the  brush 


48  A  NOTE  ON  COLOR. 

from  memory,  forms  of  trees  seen  during  a 
walk,  or  on  the  way  to  school. 

Show  by  brush  sketches  how  trees  vary  in 
shape  and  branching,  as  a  poplar  and  an  elm, 
or  an  apple  tree.  Show  how  the  foliage  in  mass 
of  a  maple  tree  differs  from  that  of  an  evergreen 
or  Christmas  tree. 

Does  the  green  of  spruce  or  hemlock  differ 
in  hue  from  that  of  a  poplar?  What  is  the  color 
of  the  trunk  of  a  peach  tree?  What  is  the  color 
of  the  earth;  edges  of  fields  and  roads  in  your 
neighborhood  ? 

How  do  sunrise   and  sunset  'colors   differ? 

Are  distant  buildings  as  strong  in  color  or 
in  light  and  shade  as  near  ones?  Paint  a 
landscape  in  three  tones.  What  part  will  ap- 
pear lightest? 


